BOARDMAN Schools to help pupils with reading and math
The board is considering borrowing $2.5 million to conserve energy use.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BOARDMAN -- Plenty of help is or will be available for pupils at West Boulevard and Stadium Drive elementary schools who are struggling with reading and math.
At Monday's board of education meeting, several teachers outlined various programs that are part of both schools' continuous improvement plans, and discussed intervention strategies to help pupils in grades 1-4 improve their reading and math skills.
Stadium Drive
As part of Stadium Drive Elementary's plan, two programs started last year are set up to provide remedial help and individual reading lessons to those with difficulties, and both are tailored to each child's needs, the board was told.
Another new reading plan lets pupils be tested on what they've read while allowing them to keep track of their points; a separate small-group program encourages pupils to read together and discuss what they read, the teachers explained.
A computerized after-school intervention program for pupils in grades 1-2 emphasizes phonics and primary reading, and pupils advance as they master certain skills, Principal Jim Goske noted. Others focus on encouraging one-on-one reading with volunteers' help and having parents tutor their third- and fourth-graders.
West Boulevard
At West Boulevard Elementary, scores on this year's fourth-grade achievement tests reflected improvements in math, reading and writing over the 2004-05 school year, Principal Al Cervello noted.
One program at the school is designed to build teacher/pupil relationships with goals of improving performance on academic tests and decreasing behavior problems; a similar one focuses on expectations for pupils and their parents. Beginning in September, a cultural diversity specialist will meet with teachers, and the school will implement the Flippen training series to encourage collaboration and better relationships between school personnel, parents and pupils.
In other business, the board approved an agreement with Roth Bros. Inc. of Austintown to consider a 15-year, $2.5 million energy conservation loan. If the loan is approved by the Ohio School Facilities Commission, the district could replace some windows, lights, boilers and sections of roofs, noted Steve Koneval, the company's executive director of construction services. The loan won't mean new taxes for residents and won't affect the district's ability to borrow money, he added.
The board announced an informational meeting set for 7 p.m. June 1 in Boardman High School's Performing Arts Center to address various building renovations.